My Near-Death Adventures

By Alison DeCamp

Stan is a young boy who tries to become a man too quickly, and as a result, has had many near-death experiences. He decides he needs to make a scrapbook so that his dad, who is not around, can see what he had to go through to become a man. The story is a fun concept, but it might’ve turned out better if it wasn’t written in the year it was, which was 1895. I don’t think the pictures in the book could pass for those of that age. My favorite part was the end when all the pranks that have been pulled on Stan, and others, turn out to be Stan’s granny, who Stan is convinced is 99.9% evil. I think it shows that just because someone is old, doesn’t mean they don’t know how to have a good time. It was a fun read, but not something I’d pick up if I saw it facing out at the bookstore.

I’d recommend the book for 4th grade and up.

Review by Allyson Rolfe, Granger Elementary Media Center
Rating: ★★½✩✩ (2.5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 4-6

My Near-Death Adventures
By Alison DeCamp
Crown Books for Young Readers
352 pages
Release Date: February 24, 2015

Tags:

2015 Middle Grade Fiction, Adventure Fiction, Alison DeCamp, Allyson Rolfe, Diary Fiction, Family Life Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humorous Fiction, Logging Fiction, Michigan Fiction, My Near-Death Adventures, Scrapbook Fiction